Cover & prefatory Main text Grammar Vocabulary Footnotes GK home page


The original 1887 Esperanto proposal,
back in print for a new millennium

Dr. Esperanto’s
International Language,

Introduction &
Complete Grammar

by Ludovic Lazarus Zamenhof
por Angloj


English Edition
translated by
R.H. Geoghegan
Balliol College, Oxford
1889

New printing,
edited and preface by
Gene Keyes
2000
Halifax, Nova Scotia:  Verkista

HTML version with updated preface
2006
Berwick, Nova Scotia
Gene Keyes Website http://www.genekeyes.com


[Back cover]


In 1887, Warsaw was under the thumb of the Russian empire.
In that year, an obscure Polish eye-doctor,
Ludovic Lazarus Zamenhof,
published identical pamphlets in
Russian, Polish, French, and German,
proposing

Esperanto

the easy-to-learn neutral second language for every country.

Today, Esperanto is alive and well around the world,
and throughout the Internet.
This is the 1889 English version of that “First Book” where it all began,
reprinted for a new millennium.


“My whole grammar can be learned perfectly in one hour.”
—Zamenhof


[Inside front cover]


Permitted by the Censor
Warsaw  5 January 1889
____________________________________
Printed by Ch. Kelter  Nowolipie Str. N. 11


For a language to be universal,
it is not enough to call it that.


Pointing finger
 An international language, like every national one, is the property of society, and the author renounces all personal rights in it forever.



1889
2000; 2006

Cataloging Information:
1) Author: Zamenhof, Ludovic Lazarus (1859-1917).
2) Translator: Geoghegan, Richard H. (1866-1943).
3) Editor: Keyes, Gene (1941- ).   
4) Esperanto.  
5) Language and Languages.

ISBN 978-0-9698643-5-6

Pamphlet edition published 2000-09-24
First printing
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Verkista

First online HTML version 2006-11-28
Gene Keyes Website http://www.genekeyes.com
Berwick, Nova Scotia, Canada

NB: Footnotes are gathered at the end, but hotlinked so that you can read each one in turn, then be hotlinked back to where you left off. Those with a single asterisk, e.g. (*1), and in plain type, are the originals; those with a double asterisk, e.g. (**2), and in italics, are my extra "GK" notes.

Preface


Esperanto—the easy-to-learn international second language for every country—is alive and well around the world and throughout the Internet. When I first wrote this on September 9, 2000, Esperanto in Google yielded more than one million results. Now on November 28, 2006, Googling Esperanto gets over 31 million. (Google itself has an Esperanto interface.) The Esperanto version of Wikipedia, begun in November 2001, already has over 61,000 articles, ranking #15 among Wikipedia’s 250 language-versions. At www.esperanto.net, Esperanto is introduced in any of 62 languages.

And here is the booklet where it all began. In July 1887, Esperanto made its debut as a 40-page pamphlet from Warsaw, published in Russian, Polish, French and German: all written by a Polish eye-doctor under the pen-name of Dr. Esperanto (“one who hopes”). Ludovic Lazarus Zamenhof (1859-1917) had a gift for languages, and a calling to help foster world amity: by a neutral “Internacia Lingvo” that anyone anywhere could readily use as a second language: neither forsaking a mother tongue, nor imposing it.

In 1889 Zamenhof published an English translation by Richard H. Geoghegan, a young Irish linguist. All five are respectively considered the “First Book”. (**1) This classic sets forth Esperanto pretty much as we know it today (except that we no longer use internal apostrophes for composite words). Its original repertoire of 900 root words has grown tenfold in the past century, but you can still almost make do with the vocabulary herein.

Just as a key aspect of the Industrial Revolution was interchangeability of parts, so Esperanto is built with a relatively small set of interchangeable root words, prefixes, and suffixes (plus 16 grammatical rules with no irregularities): in which any human nuance can be expressed, from Winnie the Pooh to the Bible. Zamenhof translated the entire Old Testament into Esperanto—see a bit of Genesis below. All of La Sankta Biblio appeared in 1926. Now it is on the Net: http://www.uni-leipzig.de/esperanto/texte/bibl/biblio/.

Since 1887, there have been thousands of books and periodicals in Esperanto: a vast library of original and translated literature: novels; poetry; song; theater; even Nobel Prize nominations for William Auld (1924-2006), a renowned writer in the world culture of Esperanto.

Of course, English (neither neutral nor easy) in some ways is surpassing Dr. Esperanto’s dream of an international language. But that may not always be so: as journalist Harry Bruce points out, “English spins off so many weird but hardy variations of itself that, rather than becoming the language of universal communication, it’s repeating the tower of Babel story.” (**2)

Meanwhile, Esperanto has been slowly gathering strength over the decades. It has weathered deadly opposition from Hitler and Stalin, and too much indifference elsewhere. But the Internet has enabled Esperanto to spread its wings further and faster. The new Millennium is a good time to look back at the very first appearance of Zamenhof’s social invention. A masterwork indeed.
Gene Keyes
Berwick, Nova Scotia, Canada
gene.keyes AT gmail.com
2000-09-09; updated 2006-11-28

Editorial Remarks

Many thanks are due to Dr. Stevens Norvell Jr., proprietor of North America’s largest active Esperanto library, Libraro Ludovika, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where I obtained the source materials for this; and to Mary Jo Graça, who prodded me to do the online version, and helped a lot with the HTML formatting.

Oddly enough, this seminal pamphlet of the Esperanto movement—indeed, of world civilization—has long been out of print (except for the scholarly multivolume set of Zamenhof’s works, Ludovikologia Dokumentaro, compiled by “ludovikito”, cited in footnote **1.) I first read a photocopy of the English pamphlet itself in 1993, and decided to do a new edition rather than a facsimile. For instance, in the original, the vocabulary was printed in small type on a folded sheet (about 10" x 14"), and “ludovikito” reduces that to an illegible 75%.

Using the pamphlet photocopy, plus “ludovikito”, I followed the original (Geoghegan) text and layout almost exactly as they were, with these exceptions:
I made two additional changes in the HTML version, besides updating the preface and footnotes:
My printed version was produced on a 1989 Macintosh IIcx computer with ClarisWorks 4, and an Esperanto font by Peter Hull, ISOTempoj. Website HTML version was produced on a 1998 OS 9.2 Mac G3 Beige, with Netscape 7 Composer, BBEdit Lite 3.5, and iCab 3.0, plus ClarisWorks 5, and Word 9.

More information

Websites:

    http://www.esperanto-usa.org
    http://esperanto.net
    http://en.lernu.net
    http://www.uea.org


Online books:

    The Esperanto Book by Don Harlow (1993)
    Esperanto: A Language for the Global Village by Sylvan Zaft, (1996)


Print books:*

    Boulton, Marjorie, Zamenhof: Creator of Esperanto (London: Routledge, 1960) 223 p.
    Mullarney, Máire, Everyone’s Own Language (Ireland, 1999) 188 p.; orig. Esperanto for Hope (Dublin: Poolbeg, 1989) 184 p.

*Available from Esperanto League for North America
(via first website above, or snail mail:)
Box 1129, El Cerrito, CA 94530  USA
e-mail: info AT esperanto-usa.org



Cover & prefatory Main text Grammar Vocabulary Footnotes GK home page



INTRODUCTION

     The reader will doubtless take up this little work with an incredulous smile, supposing that he is about to peruse the impracticable schemes of some good citizen of Utopia. I would, therefore, in the first place, beg of him to lay aside all prejudice, and treat seriously and critically the question brought before him.

     I need not here point out the considerable importance to humanity of an international language—a language unconditionally accepted by everyone, and the common property of the whole world. How much time and labour we spend in learning foreign tongues, and yet when travelling in foreign countries, we are, as a rule, unable to converse with other human beings in their own language. How much time, labour, and money are wasted in translating the literary productions of one nation into the language of another, and yet, if we rely on translations alone, we can become acquainted with but a tithe of foreign literature.

     Were there but an international language, all translations would be made into it alone, as into a tongue intelligible to all, and works of an international character would be written in it in the first instance.

     The Chinese wall dividing literatures would disappear, and the works of other nations would be as readily intelligible to us as those of our own authors. Books being the same for everyone, education, ideals, convictions, aims, would be the same too, and all nations would be united in a common brotherhood. Being compelled, as we now are, to devote our time to the study of several different languages, we cannot study any of them sufficiently well, and there are but few persons who can even boast a complete mastery of their mother-tongue; on the other hand, languages cannot progress towards perfection, and we are often obliged, even in speaking our own language, to borrow words and expressions from foreigners, or to express our thoughts inexactly.

     How different would the case be, had we but two languages to learn; we should know them infinitely better, and the languages themselves would grow richer, and reach a higher degrees of perfection than is found in any of those now existing. And yet, though language is the prime motor of civilisation, and to it alone we owe the having raised ourselves above the level of other animals, difference of speech is a cause of antipathy, nay even of hatred, between people, as being the first thing to strike us on meeting. Not being understood we keep aloof, and the first notion that occurs to our minds is, not to find out whether the others are of our own political opinions, or whence their ancestors came from thousands of years ago, but to dislike the strange sound of their language. Any one, who has lived for a length of time in a commercial city, whose inhabitants were of different unfriendly nations, will easily understand what a boon would be conferred on mankind by the adoption of an international idiom, which, without interfering with domestic affairs or the private-life of nations, would play the part of an official and commercial dialect, at any rate in countries inhabited by people of different nationalities.

     The immense importance, which it may well be imagined, an international language would acquire in science, commerce, etc., I will not here expatiate on: whoever has but once bestowed a thought on the subject will surely acknowledge that no sacrifice would be too great, if by it we could obtain a universal tongue. It is, therefore, imperative that the slightest effort in that direction should be attended to. The best years of my life have been devoted to the momentous cause which I am now bringing before the public, and I hope that, on account of the importance of the subject, my readers will peruse this pamphlet attentively to the end.

     I shall not here enter upon an analysis of the various attempts already made to give the public a universal language, but will content myself with remarking that these efforts have amounted, either to a short system of mutually-intelligible signs, or to a natural simplification of the grammar of existing modern languages, with a change of their words into arbitrarily-formed ones. The attempts of the first category were quickly seen to be too complicated for practical use, and so faded into oblivion; those of the second were, perhaps, entitled to the name of “languages”, but certainly not “international” languages. The inventors called their tongues “universal”, I know not why, possibly, because no one in the whole world except themselves could understand a single word, written or spoken in any of them. If a language, in order to become universal, has but to be named so, then, forsooth, the wish of any single individual can frame out of any existing dialect a universal tongue. As these authors naively imagined that their essays would be enthusiastically welcomed and taken up by the whole world, and as this unanimous welcome is precisely what the cold and indifferent world declines to give, when there is no chance of realising any immediate benefit, it is not much to be marvelled at, if these brilliant attempts came to nothing. The greater part of the world was not in the slightest degree interested in the prospect of a new language, and the persons who really cared about the matter thought it scarcely worth while to learn a tongue which none but the inventor could understand. When the whole world, said they, has learnt this language, or at least several million people, we will do the same. And so a scheme, which had it but been able to number some thousands of adepts before its appearance in public, would have been enthusiastically hailed, came into the world an utter fiasco. If the “Volapük”, one of the latest attempts at a universal tongue, has indeed its adepts, it owes its popularity solely to the idea of its being a “universal language”, and that idea has in itself something so attractive and sublime, that true enthusiasts, leaders in every new discovery, are ready to devote their time, in the hope that they may, perchance, win the cause.

     But the number of enthusiasts, after having risen to a certain number, will remain stationary (*3) and as the unfeeling and indifferent world will never consent to take any pains in order to speak with the few, this attempt will, like its predecessors, disappear without having achieved any practical victory.

     I have always been interested in the question of a universal language, but as I did not feel myself better qualified for the work than the authors of so many other fruitless attempts, I did not risk running into print, and merely occupied myself with imaginary schemes and a minute study of the problem. At length, however, some happy ideas, the fruits of my reflections, incited me to further work, and induced me to essay the systematic conquest of the many obstacles, which beset the path of the inventor of a new rational universal language. As it appears to me that I have almost succeeded in my undertaking, I am now venturing to lay before the critical public, the results of my long and assiduous labours.

     The principal difficulties to be overcome were:

     1) To render the study of the language so easy as to make its acquisition mere play to the learner.

     2) To enable the learner to make direct use of his knowledge with persons of any nationality, whether the language be universally accepted or not; in other words, the language is to be directly a means of international communication.

     3) To find some means of overcoming the natural indifference of mankind, and disposing them, in the quickest manner possible, and en masse, to learn and use the proposed language as a living one, and not only in last extremities, and with the key at hand.

     Amongst the numberless projects submitted at various times to the public, often under the high-sounding but unaccountable name of “universal languages”, no has solved at once more than one of the above-mentioned problems, and even that but partially. (Many other problems, of course, presented themselves, in addition to those here noticed, but these, as being of but secondary importance, I shall not in this place discuss.)

     Before proceeding to enlighten the reader as to the means employed for the solution of the problems, I would ask of him to reconsider the exact significance of each separately, so that he may not be inclined to carp at my methods of solution, merely because they may appear to him perhaps too simple. I do this, because I am well aware that the majority of mankind feel disposed to bestow their consideration on any subject the more carefully, in proportion as it is enigmatical and incomprehensible. Such persons, at the sight of so short a grammar, with rules so simple, and so readily intelligible, will be ready to regard it with a contemptuous glance, never considering the fact—of which a little further reflection would convince them—that this simplification and bringing of each detail out of its original complicated form into the simplest and easiest conceivable, was, in fact, the most insuperable obstacle to be coped with.

I


     The first of the problems was solved in the following manner:

     a) I simplified the grammar to the utmost, and while, on the one hand, I carried out my object in the spirit of the existing modern languages, in order to make the study as free from difficulties as possible, on the other hand I did not deprive it of clearness, exactness, and flexibility. My whole grammar can be learned perfectly in one hour. The immense alleviation given to the study of a language, by such a grammar, must be self-evident to everyone.

     b) I established rules for the formation of new words, and at the same time, reduced to a very small compass the list of words absolutely necessary to be learned, without, however, depriving the language of the means of becoming a rich one. On the contrary, thanks to the possibility of forming from one root-word any number of compounds, expressive of every conceivable shade of idea, I made it the richest of the rich amongst modern tongues. This I accomplished by the introduction of numerous prefixes and suffixes, by whose aid the student is enabled to create new words for himself, without the necessity of having previously to learn them, e.g.

     1) The prefix mal denotes the direct opposite of any idea. If, for instance, we know the word for “good”, bon'a, we can immediately form that for “bad”, mal'bon'a, and hence the necessity of a special word for “bad” is obviated. In like manner, alt'a, “high”, “tall”; mal'alt'a, “low”, “short”; estim'i, “to respect”, mal'estim'i, “to despise”, etc. Consequently, if one has learned this single word mal he is relieved of leaning a long string of words such as “hard” (premising that he knows “soft”), “cold”, “old”, “dirty”, “distant”, “darkness”, “shame”, “to hate”, etc., etc.

     2) The suffix in marks the feminine gender, and thus if we know the word “brother”, frat'o, we can form “sister”, frat'in'o: so also, “father”, patr'o; “mother”, patr'in'o. By this device words like “grandmother”, “bride”, “girl”, “hen”, “cow”, etc., are done away with.

     3) The suffix il indicates an instrument for a given purpose, e.g., tranĉ'i, “to cut”, tranĉ'il'o, “a knife”; so words like “comb”, “axe”, “bell”, etc., are rendered unnecessary.

     In the same manner are employed many other affixes—some fifty in all—which the reader will find in the vocabulary at end of this tractate. (*4) Moreover, as I have laid it down as a general rule, that every word already regarded as international—the so-called “foreign” words, for example—undergoes no change in my language, except such as may be necessary to bring it into conformity with the international orthography (**5) , innumerable words become superfluous, e.g., “locomotive”, “telegraph”, “nerve”, “temperature”, “centre”, “form”, “public”, “platinum”, “figure”, “waggon”, “comedy”, and hundreds more.

     By the help of these rules, and others, which will be found in the grammar, the language is rendered so exceedingly simple that the whole labour in learning consists in committing to memory some 900 words—which number includes all the grammatical inflexions, prefixes, etc. With the assistance of the rules given in the grammar, any one of ordinary intellectual capacity, may form for himself all the words, expressions, and idioms in ordinary use. Even these 900 words, as will be shown directly, are so chosen that the learning them offers no difficulty to a well-educated person.

     Thus the acquirement of this rich, mellifluous, universally-comprehensible language, is not a matter of years of laborious study, but the mere light amusement of a few days.

II


     The solution of the second problem was effected thus:

     1) I introduced a complete dismemberment of ideas into independent words, so that the whole language consists, not of words in different states of grammatical inflexion, but of unchangeable words. If the reader will turn to one of the pages of this book written in my language, he will perceive that each word always retains its original unalterable form—namely, that under which it appears in the vocabulary. The various grammatical inflexions, the reciprocal relations of the members of a sentence, are expressed by the junction of immutable syllables. But the structure of such a synthetic language being altogether strange to the chief European nations, and consequently difficult for them to become accustomed to, I have adapted this principle of dismemberment to the spirit of the European languages, in such a manner that anyone learning my tongue from grammar alone, without having previously read this introduction—which is quite unnecessary for the learner—will never perceive that the structure of the language differs in any respect from that of his mother-tongue. So, for example, the derivation of frat'in'o, which is in reality a compound of frat “child of the same parents as one’s self”, in “female”, o “an entity”, “that which exists”, i.e., “that which exists as a female child of the same parents as one’s self” = “a sister”—is explained by the grammar thus: the root for “brother” is frat, the termination of substantives in the nominative case is o, hence frat'o is the equivalent of “brother”; the feminine gender is formed by the suffix in, hence frat'in'o = “sister”. (The little strokes, between certain letters, are added in accordance with a rule of the grammar, which requires their insertion between each component part of every complete word). Thus the learner experiences no difficulty, and never even imagines that what he calls terminations, suffixes, etc.,—are complete and independent words, which always keep their own proper significations, whether placed at the beginning or end of a word, in the middle, or alone. The result of this construction of the language is, that everything written in it can be immediately and perfectly understood by the help of the vocabulary—or even almost without it—by anyone who has not only not learnt the language before, but even has never heard of its very existence. Let me illustrate this by an example: I am amongst Englishmen, and have not the slightest knowledge of the English language; I am absolutely in need of making myself understood, and write in the international tongue, maybe, as follows:

     Mi ne sci'as ki'e mi las'is la baston'o'n; ĉu vi ĝi'n ne vid'is?

     I hold out to one of the strangers an International – English vocabulary (**6), and point to the title, where the following sentence appears in large letters: “Everything written in the international language can be translated by the help of this vocabulary. If several words together express but a single idea, they are written as one word, but separated by [apostrophes]; e.g., frat'in'o, though a single idea is yet composed of three words which must be looked for separately in the vocabulary”. If my companion has never heard of the international language he will probably favour me at first with a vacant stare, will then take the paper offered to him, and searching for the words in the vocabulary, as directed, will make out something of this kind:

Mi
 mi
 =
 I
 I
ne
 ne
 =
 not not
sci'as
 sci
as
 =
=
 know
sign of the present tense
do know
kie
 kie
 =
 where
 where
mi
 mi
 =
 I
 I
las'is
 las
is
 =
=

 leave
sign of the past tense
 have left
la
 la
 =
 the
 the
baston'o'n;
 baston
o
n
 =
=
=
 stick
sign of a substantive
sign of the objective case
 stick;
ĉu
 ĉu
 =
 whether, if,  
employed in questions
 whether
vi
 vi
 =
 you, thou
 you
ĝi'n
 ĝi
n
 =
=
 it, this
sign of the objective case
 it
ne
 ne
 =
 not
 not
vid'is?
 vid
is
 =
=
 see
sign of the past tense
 have seen?


     And thus the Englishman will easily understand what it is I desire. If he wishes to reply, I show him an English – International vocabulary, on which are printed these words: “To express anything by means of this vocabulary, in the international language, look for the words required, in the vocabulary itself; and for the terminations necessary to distinguish the grammatical forms, look in the grammatical appendix, under the respective headings of the parts of speech which you desire to express”. Since the explanation of the whole grammatical structure of the language is comprised in a few lines—as a glance at the grammar will show—the finding of the required terminations occupies no longer time than the turning up a word in the dictionary. (**7)

     I would now direct the attention of my readers to another matter, at first sight a trifling one, but, in truth, of immense importance. Everyone knows the impossibility of communicating intelligibly with a foreigner, by the aid of even the best of dictionaries, if one has no previous acquaintance with the language. In order to find any given word in a dictionary, we must know its derivation, for when words are arranged in sentences, nearly every one of them undergoes some grammatical change. After this alteration, a word often bears not the least resemblance to its primary form, so that without knowing something of the language beforehand, we are able to find hardly any of the words occurring in a given phrase, and even those we do find will give no connected sense. Suppose, for example, I had written the simple sentence adduced above, in German:

     “Ich weiss nicht wo ich den Stock gelassen habe; haben Sie ihn nicht gesehen?”

     Anyone who did not speak or understand German, after searching for each word separately in a dictionary, would produce the following farrago of nonsense:

     “I; white; not; where; I; — ; stick; dispassionate; property; to have; she, they, you; — ; not; — ?”

     I need scarcely point out that a lexicon of a modern language is usually a tome of a certain bulk, and the search for any number of words one by one is in itself a most laborious undertaking, not to speak of the different significations attaching to the same word amongst which there is but a bare possibility of the student selecting the right one.

     The international vocabulary, owing to the highly synthetic structure of the language, is a mere leaflet, which one might carry in one’s note-book, or the waistcoat-pocket.

     Granted that we had a language with a grammar simplified to the utmost, and whose every word had a definite fixed meaning, the person addressed would require not only to have beforehand some knowledge of the grammar, to be able, even with the vocabulary at hand, to understand anything addressed to him, but would also need some previous acquaintance with the vocabulary itself, in order to be able to distinguish between the primitive word and its grammatically-altered derivatives. The utility, again, of such a language would wholly depend upon the number of its adepts, for when sitting, for instance, in a railway-carriage, and wishing to ask a fellow-traveller, “How long do we stop at —?”, it is scarcely to be expected that he will undertake to learn the grammar of the language before replying! By using, on the other hand, the international language, we are set in possibility of communicating directly with a person of any nationality, even though he may never have heard of the existence of the language before.

     Anything whatever, written in the international tongue, can be translated, without difficulty, by means of the vocabulary alone, no previous study being requisite. The reader may easily convince himself of the truth of this assertion, by experimenting for himself with the specimens of the language appended to this pamphlet. A person of good education will seldom need to refer to the vocabulary; a linguist, scarcely at all.

     Let us suppose that you have to write to a Spaniard, who neither knows your language nor you his. You think that probably he has never heard of the international tongue— No matter, write boldly to him in that language, and be sure he will understand you perfectly. The complete vocabulary required for everyday use, being but a single sheet of paper, can be bought for a few pence, in any language you please, easily enclosed in the smallest envelope, and forwarded with your letter. The person to whom it is addressed will without doubt understand what you have written, the vocabulary being not only a clue to, but a complete explanation of your letter. The wonderful power of combination possessed by the words of the international language renders this lilliputian lexicon amply sufficient for the expression of every want of daily life; but words seldom met with, technical terms, and foreign words familiar to all nations, as, “tobacco”, “theatre”, “fabric”, etc., are not included in it. If such words, therefore, are needed, and it is impossible to express them by some equivalent terms, the larger vocabulary must be consulted.

     2) It has now been shown how, by means of the peculiar structure of the international tongue, any one may enter into an intelligible correspondence with another person of a different nationality. The sole drawback, until the language becomes more widely known, is the necessity under which the writer is placed of waiting until the person addressed shall have analysed his thoughts. In order to remove this obstacle, as far as practicable, at least for persons of education, recourse was had to the following expedient. Such words as are common to the languages of all civilised peoples, together with the so-called “foreign” words, and technical terms, were left unaltered. If a word has a different sound in different languages, that sound has been chosen which is common to at least two or three of the most important European tongues, or which, if found in one language only, has become familiar to other nations. When the required word has a different sound in every language, some word was sought for, having only a relative likeness in meaning to the other, or one which, though seldom used, is yet well-known to the leading nations, e.g., the word for “near” is different in every European language, but if one consider for a moment the word “proximus” (nearest), it will be noticed that some modified form of the word is in use in all important tongues. If, then, I call “near”, proksim, the meaning will be apparent to every educated man. In other emergencies words were drawn from the Latin, as being a quasi-international language. Deviations from these rules were only made in exceptional cases, as for the avoidance of homonyms, simplicity of orthography, etc. In this manner, being in communication with a European of fair education, who has never learnt the international tongue, one may make sure of being immediately understood, without the person addressed having to refer continually to the vocabulary.

     In order that the reader may prove for himself the truth of all that has been set forth above, a few specimens of the international language are subjoined. (*8)


     Patr'o Ni'a.

     Patr'o ni'a, kiu est'as en la ĉiel'o, sankt'a est'u Vi'a nom'o, ven'u reĝ'ec'o Vi'a, est'u vol'o Vi'a, kiel en la ĉiel'o, tiel ankaŭ sur la ter'o. Pan'o'n ni'a'n ĉiu'tag'a'n don'u al ni hodiaŭ, kaj pardon'u al ni ŝuld'o'j'n ni'a'j'n, kiel ni ankaŭ pardon'as al ni'a'j ŝuld'ant'o'j; ne konduk'u ni'n en tent'o'n; sed liber'ig'u ni'n de la mal'ver'a, ĉar Vi'a est'as la reg'ad'o, la fort'o, kaj la glor'o etern'e. Amen!


     El la Bibli'o.

     Je la komenc'o Di'o kre'is la ter'o'n kaj la ĉiel'o'n. Kaj la ter'o est'is sen'form'a kaj dezert'a, kaj mal'lum'o est'is super la profund'aĵ'o, kaj la anim'o de Di'o si'n port'is super la akv'o. Kaj Di'o dir'is: est'u lum'o; kaj far'iĝ'is lumo. Kaj Di'o vid'is la lum'o'n ke ĝi est'as bon'a, kaj nom'is Di'o la lum'o'n tag'o, kaj la mal'lum'o'n Li nom'is nokt'o. Kaj est'is vesper'o, kaj est'is maten'o —unu tag'o. Kaj Di'o dir'is: est'u firm'aĵ'o inter la akv'o, kaj ĝi apart'ig'u akv'o'n de akv'o. Kaj Di'o kre'is la firm'aĵ'o'n kaj apart'ig'is la akv'o'n kiu est'as sub la firm'aĵ'o; kaj far'iĝ'is tiel. Kaj Di'o nom'is la firm'aĵ'o'n ĉiel'o. Kaj est'is vesper'o, kaj est'is maten'o—la du'a tag'o. Kaj Di'o dir'is: kolekt'u si'n la akv'o de sub la ĉiel'o unu lok'o'n, kaj montr'u si'n sek'aĵ'o; kaj far'iĝ'is tiel. Kaj Di'o nom'is la sek'aĵ'o'n ter'o, kaj la kolekt'oj'n de la akv'o Li nom'is mar'o'j.


     Leter'o.

      Kar'a amik'o!

     Mi prezent'as al mi kia'n vizaĝ'o'n vi far'os post la ricev'o de mi'a leter'o. Vi rigard'os la sub'skrib'o'n kaj ek'kri'os: “ĉu li perd'is la saĝ'o'n? Je kia lingv'o li skrib'is? Kio'n signif'as la foli'et'o, kiu'n li aldon'is al si'a leter'o?” Trankvil'iĝ'u, mi'a kar'a! Mi'a saĝ'o, kiel mi almenaŭ kred'as, est'as tut'e en ordo.

     Mi leg'is antaŭ kelk'a'j tag'o'j libr'et'o'n sub la nom'o “Lingv'o inter'naci'a”. La aŭtor'o kred'ig'as, ke per tiu lingv'o oni pov'as est'i kompren'at'a de la tut'a mond'o, se eĉ la adres'it'o ne sol'e ne sci'as la lingv'o'n, sed eĉ ankaŭ ne aŭd'is pri ĝi; oni dev'as sol'e al'don'i al la leter'o mal'grand'a'n foli'et'o'n nom'at'a'n “vort'ar'o”. Dezir'ant'e vid'i, ĉu tio est'as ver'a, mi skrib'as al vi en tiu lingv'o, kaj mi eĉ unu vort'o'n ne al'met'as en ali'a lingv'o, tiel kiel se ni tut'e ne kompren'us unu la lingv'o'n de la ali'a. Respond'u al mi, ĉu vi efektiv'e kompren'is kio'n mi skrib'is. Se la afer'o propon'it'a de la aŭtor'o est'as efektiv'e bon'a, oni dev'as per ĉiu'j fort'o'j li'n help'i. Kiam mi hav'os vi'a'n respond'o'n, mi send'os al vi la libr'et'o'n; montr'u ĝi'n al ĉiu'j loĝ'ant'o'j de vi'a urb'et'o, send'u ĝin ĉiu'n vilaĝ'o'n ĉirkaŭ la urb'et'o, ĉiu'n urb'o'n kaj urb'et'o'n, kie vi nur hav'as amik'o'j'n aŭ kon'at'o'j'n. Est'as neces'e ke grand'eg'a nombr'o da person'o'j don'u si'a'n voĉ'o'n—tiam post la plej mal'long'a temp'o est'os decid'it'a afer'o, kiu pov'as port'i grand'eg'a'n util'o'n al la hom'a societ'o. (**9)

Mi'a pens'o.

Sur la kamp'o, for de l’mond'o,
Antaŭ nokt'o de somer'o
Amik'in'o en la rond'o
Kant'as kant'o'n pri l’esper'o
Kaj pri viv'o detru'it'a
Ŝi rakont'as kompat'ant'e, —
Mi'a vund'o re'frap'it'a
Mi'n dolor'as re'sang'ant'e

* * *

“Ĉu vi dorm'as? Ho, sinjor'o,
Kial tia sen'mov'ec'o?
Ha, kred'ebl'e re'memor'o
El la kar'a infan'ec'o?”
Kio'n dir'i? Ne plor'ant'a
Pov'is est'i parol'ad'o
Kun fraŭl'in'o ripoz'ant'a
Post somer'a promen'ad'o!

* * *

Mi'a pens'o kaj turment'o,
Kaj dolor'o'j kaj esper'o'j!
Kiom de mi en silent'o
Al vi ir'is jam ofer'o'j!
Kio'n hav'is mi plej kar'a'n —
La jun'ec'o'n — mi plor'ant'a
Met'is mem sur la altar'o'n
De la dev'o ordon'ant'a!

* * *

Fajr'o'n sent'as mi intern'e,
Viv'i ankaŭ mi dezir'as, —
Io pel'as mi'n etern'e,
Se mi al gaj'ul'o'j ir'as . . .
Se ne plaĉ'as al la sort'o
Mi'a pen'o kaj labor'o —
Ven'u tuj al mi la mort'o,
En esper'o — sen dolor'o!


El Heine’.

En sonĝ'o princ'in'o'n mi vid'is
Kun vang'o'j mal'sek'a'j de plor'o, —
Sub arb'o, sub verd'a ni sid'is
Ten'ant'e si'n kor'o ĉe kor'o.

* * *

“De l’patr'o de l’vi'a la kron'o
Por mi ĝi ne est'as hav'ind'a;
For, for li'a sceptr'o kaj tron'o —
Vi'n mem mi dezir'as, am'ind'a!”

* * *

— “Ne ebl'e!” ŝi al mi re'dir'as:
“En tomb'o mi est'as ten'at'a,
Mi nur en la nokt'o el'ir'as
Al vi, mi'a sol'e am'at'a!”


Ho, mi'a kor’.

Ho, mi'a kor’, ne bat'u mal'trankvil'e.
El mi'a brust'o nun ne salt'u for!
Jam ten'i mi'n ne pov'as mi facil'e
Ho, mi'a kor’!

* * *

Ho, mi'a kor’! Post long'a labor'ad'o
Ĉu mi ne venk'os en decid'a hor’!
Sufiĉ'e! trankvil'iĝ'u de l’bat'ad'o
Ho, mi'a kor’!

~ ~ ~ ~<><><>~ ~ ~ ~

III

     I have now completed my analysis of the more remarkable features of my international language. I have shown the advantages to be derived from a study of it, and proved that its ultimate success is altogether independent of the opinions that may be formed as to its right to the title “international”. For even should the language never come into general use, it gives to every one who has learned it, the possibility of being understood by foreigners, if only they be able to read and write. But my tongue has yet another object; not content with internationality, it aims at universality, and aspires to being spoken by the majority of educated people. To count on the aid of the public in a scheme of this nature would indeed be to build on a tottering—nay, rather, an imaginary— foundation. The larger part of the public does not care to aid anyone, it prefers to have its wishes gratified without inconvenience to itself. On this account I made my best endeavours to discover some means of accomplishing my object, independently of the help of the public. One of my plans, of which I shall now speak more at large, is a kind of “universal vote”.

     If the reader consider all that has been said above, he must come to the conclusion that the study of the international language is practically useful, and completely remunerates the learner for the small amount of trouble he has to expend on it. For my own part, I am naturally wishful that the whole of mankind should take up my language, but I had rather be prepared for the worst, than form too sanguine anticipations. I suppose therefore, that, just at first, very few will consider my language worth the learning, so far as practical usefulness is concerned, and for abstract principles no one will lose even a single hour.

     Most of my readers will, either pay not the slightest attention to my proposition, or, doubting whether the language be of any use, never “screw up their courage to the sticking-point” of learning it, fearing that they may be dubbed “dreamers”, a sobriquet dreaded by most people more than fire. What, then, is to be done, to dispose this mass of indifferent and undecided beings to master the international language? Could we, in imagination, look for a moment into the mind of each of these indifferent ones, we should find their thoughts to be taking somewhat of the following form. In principle, no one has anything to oppose to the introduction of an international dialect; on the contrary, all would give it their fullest approval, but each wishes to see the greater part of the civilized world able to speak the language, and himself able to comprehend it, without any preliminary “wearisome bitterness of learning”, on his own part. Then, of course, even the most indifferent would set to work, because to shirk the small amount of labour necessary for learning a language possessed of such valuable qualities, and above all, considered “the thing” by all the educated, would be regarded as simple stupidity.

     In order to supply a language ready for immediate use, without any one having to initiate the study, and to see on every hand people either already proficient in the tongue, or having promised to take it up, we must proceed somewhat in the following manner. Doubtless this little book will be scattered through various countries, and fall into the hands of various readers. I do not ask any of my readers to spend time, labour, or money on the subject now brought to their notice. I merely beg of you, the present reader of the pamphlet, to take up your pen for a moment, fill in one of the appended “Promes'o'j” (below) and send it to me (Dr. Esperanto, c/o Dr. L. Samenhof, Warsaw, Poland). The “Promes'o” is to this effect:

     “I, the undersigned, promise to learn the international language, proposed by Dr. Esperanto, if it shall be shown that ten million similar promises have been publicly given”.

     If you have any objections to make to the present form of the language, strike out the words of the promise, and write “kontraŭ” (against), beneath them. If you undertake to learn the language unconditionally, i.e., without reference to the number of other students, strike out the latter words of the “Promes'o”, and write “sen'kondiĉ'e”, (unconditionally). On the back of the promise write name and address. The signing of this promise lays no obligations upon the person signing, and does not bind him to the smallest sacrifice or work. It merely puts him under an obligation to study the language, when ten million other persons shall be doing the same. When that time arrives, there will be no talking about “sacrifice”, everyone will be ready to study the language, without having signed any promises.

     On the other hand, every person signing one of these “Promes'o'j”, will—without any greater inconvenience to himself than dipping a pen in ink—be hastening on the realization of the traditional ideal of mankind, the universal language. When the number of promises has reached ten millions, a list of the names of those who have signed will be published, and with it, the question of an international language—decided.

     Nothing actually prevents people from inducing their friends and acquaintances to sign a promise in any cause, yet how few, as a fact, ever do sign anything, be the object ever so important and advantageous to mankind. More especially, when, as in the present instance, the act of signing, while contributing to the realization of a sublime ideal, at the same time requires no moral nor material sacrifice, can one see no very clear grounds for a refusal.

     Doubtless, no one has anything to say, in general, against the introduction of an international language; but, if anyone does not approve of the present form of the language, by all means let him send me, instead of his “Promise”, his “Protest”. For it is, manifestly, the duty of every person able to read and write, of every age, sex, or profession, to give his opinion in this great undertaking; the more so, as it requires no greater sacrifice than that of a few moments for filling in the promise, and a few pence for sending it to me.

     I would here beg of all editors of newspapers and magazines to make known the cause to their readers, and at the same time, I would request my readers to mention the subject to all their friends.

     I need not say any more. I am not so conceited as to suppose that my language is so perfect as to be incapable of improvement, but I make bold to think that I have satisfied all the conditions required in a language claiming to be styled “international”. It is only after having solved successfully all the problems I had proposed to myself—concerning the more important of which only, I have been able to speak above, owing to the small compass of this pamphlet—and after many years spent in a careful study of the subject that I venture to appear in public. I am but human; I may have erred, I may have committed unpardonable faults. I may even have omitted to give to my language the very thing most important to it. (**10) For these reasons, before printing complete vocabularies and bringing out books and magazines, I lay my work before the public, for the space of one year, addressing myself to the whole intelligent world with the earnest request to send me opinions on the proposed international language. I invite everyone to communicate with me as to the changes, corrections, etc., which he deems advisable. All such observations sent to me, I will gratefully make use of, if they appear really advantageous, and at the same time, not subversive of the fundamental principles of the structure of the language—that is to say, simplicity, and adaptability to international communication whether adopted universally or not.

     At the end of the alloted time, an abstract of the proposed changes will be published and the language will receive its final form. But if, even then, anyone should find the language not altogether satisfactory to himself, he should not forget that the language is by no means proof against all further changes, only that the right of alteration will be no longer the author’s personal privilege, but that of an academy of the tongue.

     It is no easy task to invent an international language, but it is a still less easy one to persuade the public to make use of it. Hence, it is of the utmost importance that every possible effort be made for its furtherance. When the form of the language has been decided, and the language itself has come into general use, a special academy can introduce—gradually and imperceptibly—all necessary changes, even should the result be a total alteration of the form of the language. On this account, I would pray those of my readers, who may be, for whatever reasons, dissatisfied with my language, to send in their protests only in the event of their having serious cause for it, such as the finding in the language objectionable features, unalterable in the future.

     This little work, which has cost much labour and health, I now commend to the kindly attention of the public, hoping that all, to whom the public weal is dear, will aid me to the best of their ability. Circumstances will show each one in what way he can be of use; I will only direct the attention of all friends of the international languge, to that most important object, towards which all eyes must be turned, the success of the voting. Let each do what he can, and in a short time we shall have, that which men have been dreaming of so long—“A Universal Tongue”.

~ ~ ~ ~<><><>~ ~ ~ ~

     NB: The author requests his reader to fill in one of the “Promises” on the following page, and send it to him, and to distribute the others amongst friends and acquaintances for the same purpose.

     Author’s Address:

      Dr. Esperanto,

      c/o Dr. L. Samenhof,

      Warsaw,

      Russ-Poland

~ ~ ~ ~<><><>~ ~ ~ ~

    Promes'o.

    Mi, sub'skrib'it'a, promes'as el'lern'i la propon'it'a'n de d-ro Esperanto lingv'o'n inter'naci'a'n, se est'os montr'it'a, ke dek milion'o'j person'o'j don'is publik'e tia'n sama'n promes'o'n.

    Sub'skrib'o:


 Nom'o:

Adres'o:
    Promes'o.

    Mi, sub'skrib'it'a, promes'as el'lern'i la propon'it'a'n de d-ro Esperanto lingv'o'n inter'naci'a'n, se est'os montr'it'a, ke dek milion'o'j person'o'j don'is publik'e tia'n sama'n promes'o'n.

    Sub'skrib'o:


 Nom'o:

Adres'o:
Promes'o.

    Mi, sub'skrib'it'a, promes'as el'lern'i la propon'it'a'n de d-ro Esperanto lingv'o'n inter'naci'a'n, se est'os montr'it'a, ke dek milion'o'j person'o'j don'is publik'e tia'n sama'n promes'o'n.

    Sub'skrib'o:


 Nom'o:

Adres'o:
Promes'o.

    Mi, sub'skrib'it'a, promes'as el'lern'i la propon'it'a'n de d-ro Esperanto lingv'o'n inter'naci'a'n, se est'os montr'it'a, ke dek milion'o'j person'o'j don'is publik'e tia'n sama'n promes'o'n.

    Sub'skrib'o:


 Nom'o:

Adres'o:


Cover & prefatory Main text Grammar Vocabulary Footnotes GK home page

Complete Grammar
of the International Language

A. The Alphabet


A a
a as in “last”

 B b
b as in “be”

 C c
ts as in “wits”

 Ĉ ĉ
ch as in “church”

 D d
d as in “do”

 E e
a as in “make”
e = e as in “get”
—GK

F f
f as in “fly”

 G g
g as in “gun”

 Ĝ ĝ
j as in “join”

 H h
h as in “half”

 Ĥ ĥ
strongly aspirated h, “ch” as in “loch” (Scotch)

I i
i as in “marine”

J j
y as in “yoke”

 Ĵ ĵ
z as in “azure”

 K k
k as in “key”

 L l
l as in “line”

 M m
m as in “make”

 N n
n as in “now”

O o
o as in “not”
o = o as in “note”
—GK
P p
p as in “pair”

 R r
r as in “rare”

 S s
s as in “see”

 Ŝ ŝ
sh as in “show”

 T t
t as in “tea”



 U u
u as in “bull”
u = oo as in “too”
—GK.
Ŭ ŭ
u as in “mount” (used in dipthongs)

 V v
v as in “very”

 Z z
z as in “zeal”

If it be found impracticable to print works with the diacritical signs ( ^ , ˘ ), the letter h may be substituted for the sign (^), and the sign ( ˘ ) may be altogether omitted ; but at the beginning of works so printed there should be this note: “NB: ch = ĉ; gh = ĝ; hh = ĥ; jh = ĵ; sh = ŝ.” (**11)

When it is necessary to make use of the “internal” sign ( , ), care should be taken that it cannot be mistaken for a comma. Instead of ( , ), may be printed ( ' ) or ( - ), e.g., sign,et,o, sign'et'o, or sign-et-o. (**12)


B. Parts of Speech

     1. There is no indefinite, and only one definite, article, la, for all genders, numbers, and cases.

     2. Substantives are formed by adding o to the root. For the plural, the letter j must be added to the singular. There are two cases: the nominative and the objective (accusative). The root with the added o is the nominative, the objective adds an n after the o. Other cases are formed by prepositions; thus, the possessive (genitive) by de, “of”; the dative by al, “to”; the instrumental (ablative) by kun, “with”, or other preposition as the sense demands. E.g., root patr, “father”; la patr'o, “the father”; patr'o'n, “father” (objective), de la patr'o, “of the father”, al la patr'o, “to the father”, kun la patr'o, “with the father”; la patro'j, “the fathers”; la patro'j'n, “the fathers” (obj.), por la patr'o'j, “for the fathers”.
     
     3. Adjectives are formed by adding a to the root. The numbers and cases are the same as in substantives. The comparative degree is formed by prefixing pli (more); the superlative by plej (most). The word “than” is rendered by ol, e.g., pli blank'a ol neĝ'o, “whiter than snow”.
     
     4. The cardinal numerals do not change their forms for the different cases. They are:

1

 unu
2

du
3

tri
4

kvar
5

kvin
6

ses
7

sep
8

ok
9

naŭ
10

dek
100

cent
1000

mil

     The tens and hundreds are formed by simple junction of the numerals, e.g., 533=kvin'cent tri'dek tri.

     Ordinals are formed by adding the adjectival a to the cardinals, e.g., unu'a, “first”; du'a, “second”, etc.

     Multiplicatives (as “threefold”, “fourfold”, etc.) add obl, e.g., tri'obl'a, “threefold”.

     Fractionals add on, as du'on'o, “a half”, kvar'on'o, “a quarter”. Collective numerals add op, as kvar'op'e, “four together”.

     Distributives prefix po, e.g., po kvin, “five apiece”.

     Adverbials take e, e.g., unu'e, “firstly”, etc.

     
     5. The Personal Pronouns are mi, I; vi, thou, you; li, he; ŝi, she; ĝi, it; si, “self”; ni, “we”; ili, “they”; oni, “one”, “people”, (French “on”).

     Possessive pronouns are formed by suffixing to the required personal, the adjectival termination. The declension of the pronouns is identical with that of substantives. E.g., mi, “I”; mi'n, “me” (obj.); mi'a, “my”, “mine”.
     
     6. The verb does not change its form for numbers or persons, e.g., mi far'as, “I do”; la patr'o far'as, “the father does”; ili far'as, “they do”.

     Forms of the Verb:

     a) The present tense ends in as, e.g., mi far'as, “I do”.
     b) The past tense ends in is, e.g., li far'is, “he did”.
     c) The future tense ends in os, e.g., ili far'os, “they will do”.
     ĉ) The subjunctive mood ends in us, e.g., ŝi far'us, “she may do”.
     d) The imperative mood ends in u, e.g., ni far'u, “let us do”.
     e) The infinitive mood ends in i, e.g., far'i, “to do”.

     There are two forms of the participle in the international language, the changeable or adjectival, and the unchangeable or adverbial.

     f) The present participle active ends in ant, e.g., far'ant'a, “he who is doing”; far'ant'e, “doing”.
     g) The past participle active ends in int, e.g., far'int'a, “he who has done”; far'int'e, “having done”.
     ĝ) The future participle active ends in ont, e.g., far'ont'a, “he who will do”; far'ont'e, “about to do”.

     h) The present participle passive ends in at, e.g., far'at'e, “being done”.
     ĥ) The past participle passive ends in it, e.g., far'it'a, “that which has been done”; far'it'e, “having been done”.
     i) The future participle passive ends in ot, e.g., far'ot'a, “that which will be done”; far'ot'e, “about to be done”.

     All forms of the passive are rendered by the respective forms of the verb est (to be) and the present participle passive of the required verb; the preposition used is de, “by”. E.g., ŝi est'as am'at'a de ĉiu'j, “she is loved by everyone.”

     7) Adverbs are formed by adding e to the root. The degrees of comparison are the same as in adjectives, e.g., mi'a frat'o kant'as pli bon'e ol mi, “my brother sings better than I”.

     8) All prepositions govern the nominative case.


C. General Rules
     
     1) Every word is to be read exactly as written; there are no silent letters.

     2) The accent falls on the last syllable but one (penultimate).

     3) Compound words are formed by the simple junction of roots, (the principal word standing last), which are written as a single word, but, in elementary works, separated by a small line (,) or ('). Grammatical terminations are considered as independent words, e.g., vapor'ŝip'o, “steamboat”, is composed of the roots vapor, “steam”, and ŝip, “a boat”, with the substantival termination o.

     4) If there be one negative in a clause, a second is not admissible.

     5) In phrases answering the question “where?” (meaning direction), the words take the termination of the objective case; e.g., kie'n vi ir'as? “where are you going?” dom'o'n, “home”; London'o'n, “to London”; etc.

     6) Every preposition in the international language has a definite fixed meaning. If it be necessary to employ some preposition, and it is not quite evident from the sense which it should be, the word je is used, which has no definite meaning; for example, ĝoj'i je tio, “to rejoice over it”; rid'i je tio “to laugh at it”; enu'o je la patr'uj'o, “a longing (**13) for one’s fatherland”. In every language different prepositions, sanctioned by usage, are employed in these dubious cases; in the international language, one word, je, suffices for all. Instead of je, the objective without a preposition may be used, when no confusion is to be feared.

     7) The so-called “foreign” words, i.e., words which the greater number of languages have derived from the same source, undergo no change in the international language, beyond conforming to its system of orthography.—Such is the rule with regard to primary words; derivatives are better formed (from the primary word) according to the rules of the international grammar: e.g., teatr'o, “theater”, but teatr'a, “theatrical” (not teatrical'a), etc.

     8) The a of the article, and the final o of substantives, may be sometimes dropped euphoniae gratia, e.g., de l’mond'o for de la mond'o; Ŝiller’ for Ŝiller'o; in such cases an apostrophe should be substituted for the discarded vowel.


Cover & prefatory Main text Grammar Vocabulary Footnotes GK home page

A B C Ĉ D E F G Ĝ H Ĥ I J Ĵ K L M N O P R S Ŝ T U Ŭ V Z


DR. ESPERANTO’S
INTERNATIONAL – ENGLISH
VOCABULARY
Vortar'o por Angl'o'j


Pointing finger
Everything
 Pointing finger
written in the international language can be translated by means of this vocabulary. If several words are required to express one idea they must be written in one, but separated by [apostrophes]; e.g., frat'in'o, though one idea, is yet composed of three words, which must be looked for separately in the vocabulary.

Editor’s notes:

(a) Over the past century, some of these words have acquired better or different translations, but I have not attempted to update them. This is the original 900-root Esperanto repertoire. (Nowadays 10 times larger.)

(b) By 1889 when Geoghegan’s translation appeared, Zamenhof had replaced the “n” in a set of time-correlative words with “m”, to avoid confusion with the accusative: iam, sometime; kiam, what time; tiam, that time; ĉiam, always; neniam, never. Geoghegan had left “ian” etc. in parentheses; I have omitted them.—GK

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A B C Ĉ D E F G Ĝ H Ĥ I J Ĵ K L M N O P R S Ŝ T U Ŭ V Z

A

a
expresses an adjective, e.g., hom'—man, hom'a—human
acid'
sour, acid
aĉet'
to buy
ad'
indicates the duration of an action; e.g., ir'—go; ir'ad'—to walk; danc'—a dance, danc'ad'—dancing
adiaŭ
adieu, good-bye
aer'
the air
afer'
affair, business
agl'
the eagle
agrabl'
agreeable
aĝ'
the age
ajn
…ever; e.g., kiu—who, kiu ajn— whoever
aĵ'
indicates a thing having some quality or peculiarity, or made of some particular thing; e.g., mal'nov'—old, mal'nov'aĵ'—old things; frukt'—fruit, frukt'aĵ'—made of fruits
akompan'
to accompany
akr'
sharp
akv'
water
al
to; e.g., al li—to him (indicates also the dative)
ali'
other
almenaŭ
at least
alt'
high, tall
alumet'
a match
am'
to love, like
amas'
a crowd, mass
amik'
friend
an'
a member, an inhabitant, an adherent; e.g., regn'—state, kingdom, empire, regn'an'—inhabitant of an empire, etc. Paris'an'—a Parisian
angul'
an angle, a corner
anĝel'
an angel
anim'
the soul
ankaŭ
also, too
ankoraŭ
still, yet
anstataŭ
instead of
ant'
indicates the present participle (active)
antaŭ
before
apart'
separate
aparten'
to belong
apenaŭ
scarcely, hardly
apud
near, nigh to
ar'
indicates a collection of objects; e.g., arb'—a tree, ar'bar'—a forest; ŝtup'—step, stair, ŝtup'ar'—staircase, stairs, ladder
arb'
a tree
arĝent'
silver
as
indicates the present in verbs
at'
indicates the present participle (passive)
atend'
to wait for, expect
aŭ
or, either
aŭd'
to hear
aŭskult'
listen to
aŭtun'
autumn
av'
grandfather
avar'
avaricious
azen'
an ass, a donkey
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B

babil'
to prate, to chatter, to prattle
bak'
to bake
bala'
to sweep
balanc'
to nod, swing, sway
baldaŭ
soon
ban'
to bathe
bapt'
baptize
bar'
to bar (a door), to stop (a passage)
barb'
the beard
barel'
barrel, cask
baston'
stick
bat'
to beat, to flog
batal'
to fight, to struggle
bedaŭr'
to pity, to regret, to repent
bel'
beautiful, handsome
ben'
to bless, consecrate, hallow
benk'
a bench
best'
an animal, a beast
bezon'
to want
bier'
beer
bind'
to bind
bird'
a bird
blank'
white
blov'
to blow
blu'
blue
bo'
relation by marriage (own or other people’s); e.g., patr'—father, bo'patr'—father-in-law; frat'—brother, bo'frat'—brother-in-law
boj'
to bark
bol'
to boil
bon'
good
bord'
the shore (of the sea), the bank or side (of a river)
bot'
a boot
botel'
a bottle
bov'
an ox
branĉ'
a branch
brand'
brandy
bril'
to shine, to sparkle, to glitter
bros'
a brush
bru'
to make a noise, to bawl
brul'
to burn one’s self
brust'
the breast, bosom
brut'
brute
buŝ'
the mouth
buter'
butter
buton'
a button
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A B C Ĉ D E F G Ĝ H Ĥ I J Ĵ K L M N O P R S Ŝ T U Ŭ V Z

C

cel'
to aim
cent
a hundred
cert'
certain, sure, known
ceter'
the remainder, the following, rest
cigar'
a cigar
cigared'
a cigarette
citron'
a lemon, citron
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A B C Ĉ D E F G Ĝ H Ĥ I J Ĵ K L M N O P R S Ŝ T U Ŭ V Z

Ĉ

ĉagren'
to grieve, to vex
ĉambr'
a chamber, a room
ĉap'
a cap, a bonnet
ĉapel'
a hat
ĉar
because
ĉe
near, by, at, beside
ĉemiz'
a shirt, a chemise
ĉen'
a chain
ĉeriz'
a cherry
ĉerk'
a coffin
ĉes'
to cease, to leave off
ĉeval'
a horse
ĉi
the nearest (person, thing, etc.); e.g., tiu—that one, tiu ĉi, this one; tie—there, tie ĉi, here
ĉia
every
ĉiam
always, ever
ĉie
everywhere
ĉiel'
heaven, heavens, sky
ĉio
all, everything
ĉirkaŭ
around, round about
ĉiu
every one
ĉj'
added to the first 2–5 letters of a masculine proper name makes it a diminutive, caressing; e.g., Miĥael'—Mi'ĉj'; Aleksandr'—Ale'ĉj'
ĉu
or, if; is employed in questions, e.g., mi ne sci'as, ĉu vi am'as—I don’t know, if you love
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A B C Ĉ D E F G Ĝ H Ĥ I J Ĵ K L M N O P R S Ŝ T U Ŭ V Z

D

da
supplies the genitive (after words, expressing measure, weight, etc.); e.g., kilogram'o da viand'o—a kilo of meat; glas'o da te'o— a cup of tea
danc'
to dance
danĝer'
danger
dank'
to thank
daŭr'
to endure, to last
de
from, of; supplies also the genitive
decid'
to decide
defend'
to defend
dek
ten
dekstr'
right (adj.)
demand'
to ask
dens'
dense, thick
dent'
a tooth
detru'
to demolish, to destroy, to ruin
dev'
must, ought, to be obliged
dezert'
a desert, a wilderness
dezir'
to desire
Di'
God
dik'
big, thick, stout
diligent'
diligence, assiduity
dimanĉ'
Sunday
dir'
to tell, to say
dis'
dis-, asunder, into parts, e.g., ŝir'—to pull, dis'ŝir'—to pull asunder
disput'
to contend for, to quarrel, to dispute
divid'
to divide
dolĉ'
sweet
dolor'
ache, pain, affliction
dom'
house
don'
to give
donac'
to make a present of
dorm'
to sleep
dors'
the back
du
two
dum
while, whilst
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A B C Ĉ D E F G Ĝ H Ĥ I J Ĵ K L M N O P R S Ŝ T U Ŭ V Z

E

e
the ending of adverbs; e.g., bon'e—well
eben'
even, smooth
ebl'
possible
ec'
indicates abstract ideas; e.g., bon'—good, bon'ec'—goodness; infan'—child, infan'ec'—childhood
eĉ
even (adv.) also
eduk'
to educate
edz'
the husband
efektiv'
real, effective
eg'
indicates enlargement or entensity of degree; e.g., man'—hand, man'eg'—paw; varm'—warm, varm'eg'—hot
egal'
equal, like
ej'
indicates the place of an action etc.; e.g., kuir'—to cook, kuir'ej'—kitchen; preĝ'—to pray, preĝ'ej'—the church
ek'
indicates the beginning or the short duration of an action etc.; e.g., kant'—to sing; ek'kant'—to begin to sing; kri'—to cry, ek'kri'—to cry out, to exclaim
eks'
formerly; placed before an official or professional designation, shows that a person has given up his office or profession
ekster
on the outside of, outwardly, without, out of
ekzempl'
example
el
from, out of
elekt'
to choose, to elect
em'
inclined, disposed, accustomed
en
in
enu'
to be weary, annoyed
envi'
to envy
er'
indicates a thing, taken as a separate unity; e.g., sabl'—sand, sabl'er'—a grain of sand
erar'
to err, to be wrong, to be mistaken
escept'
to exclude, to except
esper'
to hope
esprim'
to express, to declare by words
est'
to be
estim'
to esteem, to prize
esting'
to extinguish
estr'
the chief, the superior
et'
indicates diminution or decrease; e.g., rid'—to laugh, rid'et'—to smile; mur'—a wall, mur'et'—a little wall, chamber wall
etaĝ'
a floor, a story
etern'
eternal
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A B C Ĉ D E F G Ĝ H Ĥ I J Ĵ K L M N O P R S Ŝ T U Ŭ V Z

F

facil'
light, easy
faden'
thread
fajf'
to pipe, to whistle
fajr'
fire
fal'
to fall
fald'
to fold
famili'
family
far'
to do, to make, to act; far'iĝ'—to become, to turn, to grow
fart'
to live, to be (well or ill)
feliĉ'
happy
fend'
to split, to chop
fenestr'
window
fer'
iron
ferm'
to shut
fest'
to feast, to hold a feast
fianĉ'
one who is betrothed, the bridegroom
fidel'
faithful, true
fier'
proud, haughty
fil'
a son
fin'
to finish
fingr'
a finger
firm'
firm, solid
fiŝ'
a fish
flank'
side, flank
flar'
to smell
flav'
yellow
flor'
flower
flu'
to flow
flug'
to fly
fluid'
liquid, fluid
foj'
times (e.g., “four times”)
fojn'
hay
foli'
a leaf (of a tree), a sheet (of paper etc.)
fond'
to found, establish
font'
a fountain
for
away
forges'
to forget
forĝ'
to forge
fork'
a fork
forn'
a stove
fort'
strong, vigorous
fos'
to dig
frap'
to hit, to beat
frat'
brother
fraŭl'
bachelor, single man
freŝ'
fresh
fromaĝ'
cheese
frost'
frost, coldness
frot'
to rub
fru'
early
frukt'
fruit
frunt'
forehead
fulm'
lightning
fum'
the smoke
fund'
the bottom
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A B C Ĉ D E F G Ĝ H Ĥ I J Ĵ K L M N O P R S Ŝ T U Ŭ V Z

G

gaj'
gay
gajn'
to win, to gain
gant'
a glove
gard'
to guard, to keep
gast'
guest
ge
of both sexes; e.g., patr'—father, ge'patr'o'j—parents; mastr'—master, ge'mastr'o'j—both the master and the mistress of the house
genu'
knee
glaci'
ice
glas'
a glass, cup
glat'
smooth, even
glav'
sword
glit'
to slide, to glide along (on ice)
glor'
to glorify
glut'
to swallow
gorĝ'
throat
grand'
great
gras'
fat, grease
grat'
scratch
gratul'
to congratulate
grav'
grave, important
griz'
gray
gust'
the taste
gut'
to drop; gut'o—a drop
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A B C Ĉ D E F G Ĝ H Ĥ I J Ĵ K L M N O P R S Ŝ T U Ŭ V Z

Ĝ

ĝarden'
a garden
ĝem'
to groan
ĝentil'
genteel
ĝi
it
ĝis
to, till, up to
ĝoj'
to rejoice, to be glad
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A B C Ĉ D E F G Ĝ H Ĥ I J Ĵ K L M N O P R S Ŝ T U Ŭ V Z

H

ha!
ha! ah!
hajl'
the hail
haladz'
bad exhalation
halt'
to stop, to make a stay
har'
a hair
haring'
a herring
haŭt'
skin, hide
hav'
to have
hejt'
to heat, to make a fire
help'
to help, to aid
herb'
herb, grass
hered'
to inherit
hieraŭ
yesterday
ho!
oh!
hodiaŭ
today
hom'
man (human beings in general)
honest'
honest
hont'
shame
hor'
an hour
horloĝ'
a clock
hotel'
inn, hotel
humil'
humble
hund'
dog
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A B C Ĉ D E F G Ĝ H Ĥ I J Ĵ K L M N O P R S Ŝ T U Ŭ V Z

I

i
indicates the infinitive in verbs; e.g., laŭd'i—to praise
ia
some
ial
by whatever cause
iam
sometime
id'
child, descendent; e.g., bov'—ox, bov'id'—calf
ie
somewhere
iel
in some manner
ies
someone’s
ig'
to cause anything to be in a certain state; e.g., pur'—pure, clean, pur'ig'—to purify, to cleanse; brul'—to burn one’s self, brul'ig'—to burn some one (some thing); sid'—to sit, sid'ig'—to seat
iĝ'
to become, to turn, to compel one’s self, e.g., pal'—pale, pal'iĝ'—to turn pale; sid'—to sit, sid'iĝ'—to seat one’s self
il'
an instrument for a given purpose; e.g., tond'—to shear, tond'il'—scissors; paf'—to shoot, paf'il'—a gun, a musket, a firelock
ili
they
in'
indicates the feminine; e.g., patr'—father, patr'in'—mother; kok'—cock, kok'in'—a hen
ind'
worthy
infan'
child
ing'
a thing into which something else is put, a holder; e.g., kandel'—a taper, a candle, kandel'ing'—a candlestick
ink'
ink
instru'
to teach
insul'
island
insult'
to insult, to outrage
int'
indicates the past participle (active)
intenc'
to intend
inter
between
intern'
inwardly, internally
invit'
to invite
io
somewhat, something
iom
any, some
ir'
to go
is
indicates the past (in verbs)
ist'
occupied with…, e.g. bot'—boot, shoe, bot'ist'—shoemaker; mar'—sea, mar'ist'—a seaman, a sailor
it'
indicates the past participle (passive)
iu
someone
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J

j
indicates the plural
ja
however, nevertheless
jam
already
jar'
year
je
may be translated by various prepositions; its signification depends on the general sense of the phrase
jen
there, here
jes
yes
ju—des
the—the
juĝ'
to judge
jun'
young
just'
just, equitable
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A B C Ĉ D E F G Ĝ H Ĥ I J Ĵ K L M N O P R S Ŝ T U Ŭ V Z

Ĵ

ĵaŭd'
Thursday
ĵet'
to throw, to cast
ĵur'
to swear
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A B C Ĉ D E F G Ĝ H Ĥ I J Ĵ K L M N O P R S Ŝ T U Ŭ V Z

K

kaf'
coffee
kaj
and
kajer'
stitched book of writing paper, a copy book (in schools)
kaldron'
kettle, caldron
kaleŝ'
cab, a light cariage
kalkul'
to count, to reckon
kamen'
chimney, fireplace
kamp'
a field
kanap'
a sofa
kandel'
a candle
kant'
to sing
kap'
head
kapt'
to seize, to catch
kar'
dear
karb'
coal
kares'
to caress
kaŝ'
to hide, to conceal
kat'
a cat
kaŭz'
to cause, to occasion
ke
that (conj.)
kelk'
some, certain
kest'
box, chest
kia
what; e.g., kia hom'o—what man; kia tag'o—what day
kial
why, wherefore
kiam
when
kie
where
kiel
how
kies
whose; e.g., kies libr'o—whose book?
kio
what, that which
kiom
how much, how many
kis'
to kiss
kiu
who
klar'
clear
knab'
boy, lad
kok'
cock
kol'
neck
koleg'
a colleague
kolekt'
to collect, to gather
koler'
to be angry
kolon'
column, pillar
kolor'
a colour
komb'
to comb
komenc'
to begin
komerc'
to trade, to traffic
kompat'
to compassionate, to bear with
kompren'
to understand, to conceive
kon'
to know
kondiĉ'
condition
konduk'
to conduct, to lead
konfes'
to avow, confess
konsent'
to consent
konserv'
to preserve, to keep
konsil'
to counsel, to advise
konsol'
to console, to comfort
konstant'
constant, steadfast
konstru'
to construct, to build
kontent'
content, satisfied
kontraŭ
against
konven'
to suit, to agree
kor'
the heart
korn'
a horn
korp'
the body
kort'
the court, courtyard
kost'
to cost
kovr'
to cover
kraĉ'
to spit
krajon'
a pencil, a crayon
kravat'
a cravat, neckcloth
kre'
to create
kred'
to believe
kresk'
to grow, to wax
kret'
chalk
kri'
to cry
kron'
a crown, a garland
kruc'
a cross
kudr'
to sew
kuir'
to cook
kuler'
a spoon
kulp'
culpable, guilty
kun
with; kun'e—together
kupr'
copper
kur'
to run
kurac'
to cure, heal
kuraĝ'
courageous, resolute, bold
kurten'
curtain
kusen'
a cushion
kuŝ'
to lie (e.g. in bed)
kutim'
to accustom one’s self to
kuz'
a cousin
kvankam
though, although
kvar
four
kvin
five
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L

l'
the
la
the
labor'
to labour, to work
lac'
weary, tired
lakt'
milk
lam'
lame
lamp'
lamp
land'
land, country
lang'
the tongue
lantern'
a lantern
larĝ'
large, broad
larm'
a tear
las'
to let, to permit, to allow, to leave
last'
last, latest
laŭ
in conformity with, conformably, according to
laŭd'
to praise, to commend
laŭt'
aloud, loudly
lav'
to wash
lecion'
a lesson
leg'
to read
leĝ'
law
leon'
a lion
lern'
to learn
lert'
dexterous, skilful
leter'
letter, epistle
lev'
to lift (up), to raise
li
he
liber'
free
libr'
book
lig'
to bind
lign'
wood
lingv'
speech, language, tongue
lip'
lip
lit'
bed
liter'
a letter (of the Alphabet), a type
loĝ'
to dwell, to lodge
lok'
place, spot
long'
long
lud'
to play
lum'
to light, to shine
lun'
the moon
lund'
Monday
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M

maĉ'
to chew
magazen'
store, a shop
makul'
a spot, a speck
mal'
indicates opposites, e.g., bon'—good; mal'bon'—bad; estim'—to esteem; mal'estim'—to despise, to disdain
malgraŭ
in spite of, notwithstanding
man'
hand
manĝ'
to eat
mar'
the sea
mard'
Tuesday
mastr'
master
maten'
the morning
matur'
ripe, mature
mem
self
memor'
to remember, to keep in mind
merit'
to merit, to deserve
merkred'
Wednesday
met'
to put
mez'
the middle
mezur'
to measure
mi
I
miks'
to mix, to mingle
mil
thousand
milit'
war
mir'
to be astonished, to wonder
mizer'
misery, poverty, wretchedness
moder'
moderate, temperate
modest'
modest
mol'
soft, tender
mon'
money
monat'
month
mond'
world
mont'
mountain
montr'
to show
mord'
to bite
morgaŭ
tomorrow
mort'
to die
moŝt'
highness, majesty, etc. (is generally added to titles) e.g. Vi'a reĝ'a moŝt'o— Your (Royal) Majesty; Vi'a general'a moŝt'o; vi'a episkop'a moŝt'o etc.
mov'
to move, to stir (up)
mult'
much
mur'
wall
murmur'
to murmur
muŝ'
a fly
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A B C Ĉ D E F G Ĝ H Ĥ I J Ĵ K L M N O P R S Ŝ T U Ŭ V Z

N

n
indicates the objective (accusative) case; also direction; e.g. mi ir'as dom'o'n—I am going home
naĝ'
to swim
najbar'
neighbour
nask'
to bear a child, to bring forth, to give birth to
naŭ
nine
naz'
nose
ne
no, not
nebul'
mist, fog
neces'
indispensable, necessary
neĝ'
snow
nek—nek
neither—nor
nenia
not any
neniam
never
nenie
nowhere
neniel
by no means, in no wise
nenies
nobody’s
nenio
nothing
neniu
nobody, no one
nep'
grandchild
nev'
a nephew
ni
we
nigr'
black
nj'
added to the first 2–5 letters of a feminine proper name makes it a diminutive, caressing; e.g., Mari'—Ma'nj'; Emili'—Emi'nj'
nobl'
noble
nokt'
night
nom'
name
nombr'
number
nov'
new
nub'
cloud
nud'
naked
nuks'
nut
nun
now
nur
only
nutr'
to nourish, to nurse (a child)
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A B C Ĉ D E F G Ĝ H Ĥ I J Ĵ K L M N O P R S Ŝ T U Ŭ V Z

O

o
indicates a substantive (noun)
obe'
to obey
objekt'
an object
obl'
indicates a numeral in multiplicative form; e.g., du—two, du'obl'—twofold, double, of two different sorts
obstin'
obstinate, stubborn
odor'
to exhale fragrance, to smell
ofend'
to offend, to wrong
ofer'
to offer
oft'
often
ok
eight
okaz'
to happen
okul'
eye
okup'
to occupy
ol
than, as
ole'
oil
ombr'
shadow, shade
ombrel'
parasol, umbrella
on'
makes fractions out of numerals; e.g., kvar—four; kvar'on'—fourth part
ond'
the wave
oni
(pron. indef. plur.) one, they, people, man
onkl'
uncle
ont'
indicates the future participle (active)
op'
indicates collective numerals; e.g., du—two, du'op'—two together
oportun'
opportune, convenient
or'
gold
ord'
order
ordinar'
ordinary, common, usual
ordon'
to order, to command
orel'
the ear
os
indicates the future
ost'
a bone
ot'
indicates the future participle (passive)
ov'
an egg
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A B C Ĉ D E F G Ĝ H Ĥ I J Ĵ K L M N O P R S Ŝ T U Ŭ V Z

P

pac'
peace
paf'
to shoot
pag'
to pay
paĝ'
a page
pajl'
straw
pal'
pale
palac'
a palace
palp'
to feel, to handle gently
palpebr'
eyelid
pan'
bread
pantalon'
trousers
paper'
paper
pardon'
to pardon, to forgive
parenc'
relation
parker'
by heart, by memory
parol'
to speak, to talk
part'
part, portion, share
pas'
to pass, to go by
pastr'
priest, clergyman
paŝ'
to step, to stride
patr'
father; patr'uj'—fatherland
pec'
a morsel
pel'
to pursue, to chase
pen'
to endeavour, to do one’s best
pend'
to hang
pens'
to think
pentr'
to draw
per
through, by, by means of
perd'
to lose
permes'
to permit, to allow
pes'
to weigh (someone or something)(vb. act.)
pet'
to pray, to beg
pez'
weigh (some number of pounds) (vb. neut.)
pi'
pious
pied'
foot
pik'
to prick, to sting
pilk'
a ball (to play with)
pingl'
a pin
pir'
a pear
plac'
a place, a square
plaĉ'
to please
plafon'
ceiling
plank'
floor (of a room)
plej
most (adv.)
plen'
full
plend'
to complain
plezur'
pleasure
pli
more
plor'
to weep, to shed tears
plum'
pen; feather
pluv'
rain
po
forms distributive numerals; e.g., kvin—five; po kvin— five apiece
polv'
dust
pom'
apple
pont'
a bridge
popol'
people, nation
por
for
pord'
door
pork'
swine, pig, hog
port'
to carry, to wear
post
after (prep.)
postul'
to require, to call for
poŝ'
a pocket
poŝt'
post, post-office
pot'
a pot
pov'
to be able, can
prav'
being right
preĝ'
to pray, to say prayers
prem'
to press, to oppress
pren'
to take
prepar'
to prepare
pres'
to print
preskaŭ
almost, nearly
pret'
ready
prezent'
to present, to represent, to introduce
pri
concerning, on, of, about
printemp'
the spring
pro
for the sake of
profund'
deep, profound
proksim'
(adj.) near, nigh
promen'
to walk, to take a walk
promes'
to promise
pro